Detonating toy dart



May 5, 1953 J. 5. KAHN DETONATING TOY DART Filed Dec. 12', 1949INVENTOR. JUU/JN 55TH K/QHN. BY?

A TORNEK Patenied May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE DETQNATING TOYDART Julian Seth Kahn, New York, N. Y.

ApplicationDecc'rnher 12, 1949,, Serial No. 132,452

5 Claims. i

This invention relates to a detonatin'gtoy dart.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a toy dartwhich embodies an improved firing mechanism for detonating explosivecaps. A mechanism is actuated when the dart strikes a target and theexplosive cap is thereby detonated.

More specifically, a dart made in accordance "th the present inventionincludes a body portion to which fins or the like are attached, andforwardly projecting head portion. winchis movahly connected to the bodyportion for movv merit for .ly and each relative 'to said body .135.1011. A detonating or firing chamber is provided in the body of thedart firing pin or hammer is provided in the head or the dart. explosivecap or the in pistols maybe inserted into the firing chamber and thereheld in place an anvil directly opposite the firing pin. When the dartis thrown or otherwise caused to travel through the air and its headstrikes a target, the forward movement of the head will abruptly stopbut the body will continue to travel forwardly until the firin pinstrikes the cap and detonates it.

Although darts of this general character are known to the prior art, thepresent dart affords very substantial advantages over the darts whichhave heretofore been designed. One of the principal features of thepresent dart which the darts of the prior art do not have is aself-cocking firing pin which is maintained inspaced relation to theexplosive cap until the very moment that the dart strikes a target. Theeffect is to produce sharp engagement between the firing pin and theexplosive chargein the cap to insure positive detonation of saidexplosive charge. In the darts of the prior art, the firing generallyrests against the explosive cap during its flight through the air andall that happens when the dart strikes a target is to increase thepressure of the firing pin against the explosive charge. If there issufficient pressure, the explosive charge will detonate. Frequently, ashock accompanies the increased pressure detonation or the explosivecharge is thereby facilitated. But there isno definite assurance thatsuch shock will alwa s accompany the pressure and frequently the chargedoes not explode.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide a dartof the character described in which the firing pin is automatically heldin cocked relation to the explosive cap at all times prior to the momentof impact against the target. The self-cocking firing pin includes 'acompression spring which acts to urge the firing pin to move in thedirection away from the explosive cap. In the preferred form of thisinvention, the firing pin is connected to the head of the dart and hencethe spring acts to urge the firing pin forwardly. When the dart strikesa target, the body of the dart moves forwardly against the action of thespring until the firing pin and the explosive cap are brought intoengagement with each other. Were it not for this spring, the resistanceof the air to the forward movement of the dart would force the head ofthe dart backwardly and cause the firing pin to rest against theexplosive cap.

Another advantage of the cooking spring is the fact that it tends tocushion the impact of the dart against the target. This is an importantfeature because the dart is a toy and it may inadvertently be thrownagainst a frangible object such as a thin pane of glass, or a vase.There is also the possibility that a child will throw the dart againstthe person of another child, and again the cushioning effect of thecocking spring will materially reduce the likelihood that injury willresult.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision ofspring-urged means for holding the explosive cap upon the anvil of thefiring mechanism. The spring-urged means for holding the explosive capin place includes a firing chamber which is spring-urged in theoirection of the anvil. It may be retracted against the action of thespring so that an explosivecap will be placed upon the anvil and it maythen be released to hold the explosive cap in spring-urged engagementwith the anvil. The explosive cap will thereby be held in position toreceive the thrust of the firing pin when the dart strikes a target.

The spring-urged firing chamber performs an additional function whichconstitutes an important feature of the present invention. It is wellknown that a confined explosion is much more effective in toys of thegeneral character de-- scribed than an unconfined explosion. Thespring-urged firing chamber fully encloses the explosive charge in thecap prior to and at the moment of detonation. When the pressuregenerated within the firing chamber exceeds a predetermined level, thespring which urges the chamber against the explosive cap and the anvilonwhic'h it rests yield to allow the gases to escape.

Still another important object of the present invention is "theprovision of a dart of the character described, in which adjustablemeans areprovided for holding the explosive cap against the anvil. Inthis form of the invention there is o spring-urged firing chamber whichengages the cap and holds it against the anvil, but instead there is anadjustable chamber which may be fixed in any selected position relativeto the anvil to accommodate thicker or thinner explosive caps. Thisadjustable firing chamber, like the spring-urged firing chamber abovementioned, prevents displacement of the explosive cap during the flightof the dart through the air. One of the disadvantages of the darts ofthe prior art is the fact that the explosive caps in said darts veryfrequently become dislodged before the dart strikes its target.

The present invention is applicable to many types of darts and to manyvariations in construction and application. For example, the presentinvention may be applied to the simplest form of dart, namely the typewhich is thrown by hand against a target.

Preferred forms of this invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view through a dart made in accordance with oneform of the invention, the firing chamber being shown in retractedposition so as to provide access for an explosive cap.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar view showing the cap in firing position andthe firing chamber in engagement therewith.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the dart the moment of impact against atarget, the firing pin being shown in engagement with the explosivecharge of the cap and said explosive charge being shown in process ofexploding.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a dart made in accordance with asecond form of this invention.

Turning now to the first form of this invention, and to Figs. 1, 2, and3, it will be seen that the dart 2! shown therein includes a bodyportion 2i which projects forwardly in the form of a hollow, tubularportion 22. The back of the body portion is broken away in the drawing,but it ma be provided with the fins or feathers which darts generallyhave. At the base or rear end of tubular portion 22 is an anvil 23 andopenings 24. An explosive cap 25 may be inserted into the tubularportion 22 through openings 24 and it ma be placed upon anvil 23'.Openings 26 also serve as exhaust vents to allow the hot gases to escapefollowing an explosion.

Slidahly mounted within tubular portion 22 of the body of the dart isthe firing pin 2'! having a striking head 23 at its back end and suctioncup 29 at its forward end. A bridge 30 having a centrally disposed holeis fixed within said tubular portion 22 to slidingly support said firingpin in said tubular portion and to allow the firing pin to movelongitudinally, either forwardly or rearwardly, in the direction awayfrom or toward an- V11 23. Slidably mounted on said firing pin andenclosing its striking head 23 is a cylindrical member 33 whichconstitutes the firing or detohating chamber of the mechanism. Thiscylinder 33 is open at that end which faces the anvil and it is providedwith an inwardly extending annular flange 34 at its opposite end. Acompression spring 36 is mounted on the firing pin between said flange Mof cylinder 33 and bridge 39. This spring tends to push cylinder 33backwardly and in the direction of anvil 23. The cylinder may be pulledforwardly and away from anvil 23 by simply pulling on the suction cup 29to pull the firing pin forwardly. The striking head on said firing pinwill engage the flange on the cylinder and hence the cylinder willitself be moved forwardly. Its forward position is shown in Fig. 1.Holes 24 are cleared so that cap 25 may be inserted therethrough andplaced upon anvil 23. When the suction cup is released, as shown in Fig.2, spring 36 will act upon cylinder 33 and move it backwardly intoengagement with the explosive cap 25. (See Fig. 2.) The tension of thespring, acting through the flange of cylinder 33, will hold the cylindertightly against the cap to prevent dislodgement thereof. The explosivecharge 25a of said cap will, of course, be fully enclosed by cylinder33.

A second compression spring 20 is provided on firing pin 21, and it willbe seen in Fig. 2 that said spring bears at one end against bridge andat its opposite end against the suction cup 29. The action of spring 4!]is to push the suction cup forwardly, and with it the firing pin and itsstriking head. This forward position of the firing pin and its strikinghead is shown in Fig. 2. When the dart, and more particularly itssuction cup 29, strikes a target 4|, said suction cup and its firing pinwill come to a relatively abrupt stop. The body of the dart will,however, continue to move forwardly by reason of its momentum and theexplosive cap will be brought into engagement with the striking head ofthe firing pin. This maybe seen in Fig. 3. The explosive charge willexplode and the action is at an end. It will he noted that compressionspring 48 not only tends to hold. the suction cup and firing pin intheir forward positions during the course of flight, but it alsofunctions in the manner of a cushion during the moment of impact tolessen the shock as the dart strikes a target. For purposes ofconvenience, compression spring ill may be termed the cooking spring ofthe firing mechanism, since its principal function is to space thefiring pin, and more particularly its striking head, from the charge ofthe explosive cap prior to the moment the dart strikes its target.Compression spring 38 may be termed the cap holding spring, since it isby reason of the force which said spring exerts upon the flange ofcylinder 33 that said cylinder holds the cap in place against the anvil.

The materials of which the dart above described may be made are mattersof preference and selection and they are certainly not critical insofaras the present invention is concerned. Suction cup 29 should, of course,be made preferably of flexible, resilient rubber. The body of the dartand its bridge should preferably be made of molded plastics, and this,of course, includes its fins as well. The anvil, the firing chamber, thefiring pin, and the springs should, of course, preferably be made ofsuitable metals.

The dart shown in Fig. 4 differs slightly from dart 20 above described.It includes a body portion 16 which projects forwardly in the form of abell-shaped tubular portion 41 having internal screw threads 48. Thereare openings 49 in said bell-shaped portion and these openings performthe same functions as do openings 24 above described. Imbedded in thebody of dart 45 is an anvil 50. A cowling 52 having external screwthreads is screwed into bell portion 41. Press fitted in said cowling isa cylindrical member 53 which constitutes the firing chamber of themechanism, similar in function to cylinder 33 which constitutes thefiring chamber of the dart first above described. Cylindrical member 53has an outwardly extending annular flange 54 formed at its back end andan inwardly extending annular flange 55 formed at its forward end.

Flange 54 provides a shoulder which abuts against cowling 52. It alsoserves as the holding means which engages the explosive cap and holds itagainst the anvil.

Cylinder 33 above described is brought into tensioned engagement withthe explosive cap to hold said cap in place against anvil 23.Cylindrical member 53, on the other hand, remains fixed relative to theanvil, once it is set. Its engagement with the explosive cap is,therefore, frictional and the frictional co-efficient is determined bythe spacing of cylindrical member 53 from the anvil or that portion ofthe body of the dart in which the anvil is imbedded. The distance ofcylindrical member 53 from anvil 50 may be altered by simply turningcowling 52 in hellshaped portion 41. Since the cowling is inscrewthreaded engagement with the bell-shaped portion. turning it in onedirect on will move it farther away from the anvil and turning it in theopposite direction will move it nearer the anvil. Since cylindricalmember 53 is press fitted in cowling 52, the movement of the cowlingto-- ward or away from the anvil will cause a corresponding movement ofthe cylindrical member toward or away from the anvil.

Annular flange 55 of cylindrical member 53 ac.. commodates firing pin60. In the forward end of the firing pin is a suction cup SI and at itsback end is the striking head 52. A compression spr ng 63 is mounted onthe firing pin 60 between flange 55 and suction cup 6|. and saidcompression spring serves as the cooking spring of the firing mechan sm.It tends to hold the striking head away from the exp osive charge in thecap during the course of flight of the dart, and it yields only when thehead of the dart. that is its suction cup 6|, strikes the target. Theact on is similar to the action above described with respect to thefirst form of this invention.

As has above been indicated, the foregoing is merely descriptive ofpreferred forms of this invention and other forms may be had andmodificat ons of these forms may also be had within the broad coverageof the present invention.

For example, although the firing pin is shown in the drawing to beconnected to the head of the dart and the anvil or seat for theexplosive cap is shown to be carried by the body of the dart, it will beclearly appreciated that these part may be reversed without departingone iota from the basic pr nciples of the invention. Thus, the firingpin may be carried by the body of the dart. and the seat for theexplosive cap may be mounted on the head of the dart. In both casesthere is relative movement between the firing pin and the explosive capwhen the dart strikes a target.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A detonating toy dart of the character described, comprising a bodymember, a head mounted for movement relative to the body mem ber, a seatfor an explosive cap carried by the body member, a firing pin carried bythe head and pointed in the direction of the seat, a cocking springconnected to the firing pin and yieldingly maintaining it in spacedrelation to the seat, a firing chamber movably mounted on the firingpin, and a second spring which engages the firing chamber and yieldinglyholds it against the seat.

2. A detonating toy dart in accordance with claim 1, wherein the firingpin is provided with a striking head and the firing chamber is providedwith a flange Which engages the striking head on the side opposite theseat for the explosive cap, whereby the firing chamber may be drawn awayfrom said seat against the action of the second spring by pulling thehead of the dart and the firing pin which is carried thereby, forwardlyof the body of the dart.

3. A detonating toy dart in accordance with claim 2, wherein the bodymember of the dart is provided with a forwardly extending, tubularportion, and the firing pin and firing chamber are both mounted withinsaid tubular portion.

4. A detonating toy dart in accordance with claim 3, wherein a fixedbearing for the firing pin is mounted within the tubular portion of thebody of the dart, both springs being mounted on the firing pin, thecooking spring on the forward side of the bearing and the second springon the rear side of the bearing, said cocking spring bearing at itsforward end against the head of the dart and at its back end against thefixed bearing, and said second spring hearing at its forward end againstsaid fixed bearing and at its back end against the firing chamber.

5. A detonating toy dart of the character described, comprising a bodymember, a head mounted for movement relative to the body member, a seatfor an explosive cap carried by the body member, a firing pin carried bythe head and pointed in the direction of the seat, a cocking springconnected to the firing pin and yieldingly maintaining it in spacedrelation to the seat, a firing chamber movably mounted on the firingpin, said firing chamber having side walls With a bottom at one end andbeing open at the other end, said chamber being mounted with its openend adjacent the seat and being axially movable relative to the seat,the bottom of said chamber having a hole through which the firing pin isfree to slide, and means for holding the firing chamber in adjustedposition relative to the seat for frictionally holding an explosive capagainst said seat.

JULIAN SETH KAHN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,357,927 Clarke Nov. 2, 1920 1,385,634 Marshall July 26, 19211,669,118 Betts May 8, 1928 1,893,787 Schroeder Jan. 10, 1933 2,119,524Char June 7, 1938

